The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments.
The free travel scheme, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland concessionary travel scheme, provides free travel on cross-Border routes for passholders of both jurisdictions. This scheme applies to cross-Border journeys and not to travel exclusively within either jurisdiction. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to putting in place an all-Ireland free travel scheme for pensioners resident in all parts of this island. I plan to advance this proposal as quickly as possible over the term of this Government.
There have been a number of proposals for extending entitlement to free travel to people living outside Ireland, including the report of the task force on policy regarding emigrants which was submitted to the Minister for Foreign Affairs earlier this year. At EU level a report, Towards a Senior Euro Pass, was commissioned by the social affairs directorate of the European Commission and published by Age Concern, England, at the end of 1997. This report recommends that EU states should establish a senior euro pass card which would entitle older people to concessions on various services, including travel, cultural and social activities. Developments in this area would have to be advanced at EU level.
The Deputy's proposal to make free travel available to persons in receipt of Irish pensions but living abroad will be examined in a future budgetary context, taking account of the other demands for extension of the free travel scheme, the cost implications, compatibility with EU law and administrative implications.